Article handling apparatus



Feb. 18, 1941. w. BERTHOLD EFAL ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l w BERTHOL 0 0. c. ROBSON Q m W IN VEN7'ORS A TTORNE Y Feb. 18, 1941. w BERTHOLD ETAL 2,232,045

ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n. BERTHOLD INVENTORS 0. c. ROBSON A TTORNEV Patented Feb. 18, 1941 2,232,045 ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Wolf Berthold, Weehawken, N. J., and Duet Cyrus Robson, Electric Company,

Baltimore, Md., assignors to Western Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 3, 1939, Serial No. 211,438

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an article handling apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for handling reels of wire.

It is frequently necessary to change a heavy 6 reel of wire from a horizontal to a vertical position or vice versa.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for readily changing the position of a reel of wire or other articles.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a cradle for handling articles is provided which is mounted in a single trunnion bearing so as to provide a maximum of approachable space to the carriage.

It is believed that a complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus partly in section, and

Fig. 2 is an elevational view viewed at an angle of 90 from the view in Fig. 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, a standard 6 is provided supporting an elongated trunnion bearing 1. Mounted in this bearing is a trunnion shaft 8 which may be cast integral with an end wall 9 of the cradle or carriage on which the articles to be handled are carried. Integral with the end wall 9 is a platform ll having supporting ribs l2, and at right angles to the platform H is a second platform It which may also be cast integrally with the platform II and the end wall 9. The platform ll may have a floor I! secured thereto provided with a ramp 85 I5, and a cleat I6 is welded to the floor to prevent an article such as a reel I! from rolling of! of the carriage once it is placed thereon. The platform I3 is provided with an angle iron frame l8 secured to the platform by bolts l9. This frame has a plurality of rolls 2| mounted therein to facilitate the movement of an article when the flat side of the article is resting on the platform IS. The bolts securing the floor I4 and the bolts securing the frame It are similarly positioned so that the floor and frame are interchangeable. In this way the apparatus may be arranged to deliver an up-ended reel or cylinder in either of two directions. Between the end wall 9 and the bearing 1 a ring 22 for taking up of wear is 10- cated. At the other end of the bearing a similar ring 23 is provided and the end of the shaft 8 is provided with a ring 24 secured to the shaft by a pin 25 to prevent the shaft from being withdrawn from the bearing.

I When the apparatus is used for supplying reels of wire to a wire drawing machine a reel I1 is rolled up the ramp l5 and over the cleat IS. The carriage is then rotated through an angle of 90 so that the head of the reel will rest on the rolls 2!. Similar rolls 26 may be mounted adjacent 5 the carriage so that the reel in its vertical position may be moved into a wire drawing machine in its vertical position. Due to the single trunnion bearing the approach to the carriage or cradle is unobstructed. In order to take some 10 of the strain from the shaft 8 a roller 30 is mounted under the shaft in vertical alignment therewith and rolls against the flat portion of the surface of end wall 9.

The carriage may be rotated from one posi- 15 tion to another by means of an air cylinder 21 controlled by a valve 28. The air cylinder is supported on a pivot 29 secured to a shelf 3| on a standard 32. Within the cylinder 21 is a piston attached to a connecting rod 33 the opposite end 20 of which is pivotally secured to a pivot 34 on end wall 9. Thus in one position of the piston in cylinder 21 the cradle is in the position shown in Fig. 1 for receiving or discharging a reel to the floor and in the other position of the piston the 25 cradle is rotated through an angle of 90 for discharging or receiving a reel from the wire drawing apparatus.

It will be understood that the nature and embodiment of the invention herein described is 30 merely illustrative and that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for handling articles, a pivotal cradle open at one end and having an end wall 'at the other end and a pair of material supporting platforms extending perpendicularly from said wall, and a single horizontal pivot secured to said end wall for rotating said cradle to change 40 the angular position of the axis of an article.

2. In a device for handling articles, a pivoted cradle having a pair of platforms substantially at right angles to each other and an end wall, the other end of the cradle being unobstructed, 5 a shaft secured to said end wall, and a single trunnion bearing for said shaft for changing the angular position of the axis of an article.

3. In a device for handling material, a cradle having an end wall, a trunnion bearing support- 5 ing said end wall, a portion of said end wall forming a track, and a roller under said bearing for rolling on said-track to support said wall.

4. In a device for handling articles, a pivoted cradle for receiving material from one horizontal 58 including an end wall, a pivotal mounting for said end wall, the opposite end or the cradle being unobstructed, and means including a roller for assisting said pivot in supporting the cradle. 6. In a device for handling articles, a cradle comprising two platforms and an end wall the opposite end of the cradle being unobstructed, and a pivotal mounting for said end wall substantially in the center of said wall for changing the angular position of the axis of an article.

WOLF BERTHOLD. DUER C. ROBSON. 

